Hay Racks: Suggestions for alternatives to hay racks

[Arielle72]

My piggies refuse to eat out of a hay rack. We have one story cages and the hay just gets put on the floor in one corner of the cage. Lots of hay gets pooped and peed on this way. I've tried putting hay in a box, but the piggies just climb in the box and pee on it there too. So, does anyone have any suggestions as to other ways to offer hay to them that will be more sanitary?

If I keep the hay rack will they eventually eat from it? Right now, I've tried it for a week at a time and no hay gets eaten in that time. I worry that they don't get enough to eat then.

[PiggieMom]

You could try loosely packed kleenex boxes (the kind that has large openings on top and side) or a small paper bag. I've had pigs who get frustrated at having to pull and pick the hay out of the racks, but they like something they can stick their face in and just grab at long strands of hay. If it doesn't work, you won't have wasted too much money either. Good luck!

[wheekers01]

I use Kleenex boxes. The kind where it is long, the opening, I flip it so the opening is out and she pulls hay from it. Also try packing toilet paper rolls and brown paper bags. If worst comes to worst, buy one. =\

[akstrohm]

I have a litter box placed in the corner against one side of the coroplast and a few inches away from the other side. I put the hay in those few inches, so the pigs sit in the litter box while eating their hay. This keeps the hay clean, and not too much of it gets spread around. I also have the litter box in the loft so that essentially no hay makes it down to the main level where the fleece is.

[eschimpf]

you could always try a hanging blanket with hay in it where they can reach it. This might help.

[Ilovemypiggies1]

I like the Kleenex idea, sounds great! I use a bird feeder as a hay rack, it looks like it's made out of the storage grids and i got it from Walmart but since it's something that your piggies would have to eat out of, it may not work. Maybe if you have some toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls you can put some hay in them too.

[catalineh06]

I use an 12 qt. dishpan thing from Wal-Mart. It was like $1.88 and works pretty well.

http://webpages.charter.net/ppkofuga...er/DishPan.JPG

[FrasierandNiles]

The Kleenex box idea sounds great, since I too was wondering the same thing. But will the pigs chew on the cardboard?

[PiggieMom]

They might, but it shouldn't be a problem for them. I replace mine about once a month.

[CavyLuver516]

Maybe try making a bigger hayrack out of grids or go to a thrift store - it would have some shower caddies or dish drying racks (they work great) If these don't work, keep trying different things. Your pigs are bound to eat hay out of some hay rack contraption!

[wigglesgiggles1]

My hay rack is a bent grid that I put on the cage on its side.


Go to the gallery for hay racks and mine is called: idk_011